


The life of a Sparrow

by orphan_account



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: ( Albiet brief), Angst, Backstory, Bad Parenting, Drowning, F/M, Fourth movie??? Fifth movie??? Never heard of 'em, Hope, Immortality( or pretty close to it), Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-07-10 12:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15949679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The backstory of Jack Sparrow.





	1. Introduction to Piracy

Jack was born to sail - literally. He was born on a boat in a harbor in London, and his dad claimed that he already was eyeing the sails. And the rum. Lots and lots of rum.

Now that he was twelve, though, he was ready to run far, far away from the crowded, stinking city that was the heart of the British Empire. 

Getting himself into the Navy was relatively easy, because of the constant want for more sailors. Because Jack had sailing experience, he was quickly grabbed up and made into a cabin boy in the navy ship Florence. 

Jack hated the navy more than he had hated his parents' constant horribleness. There was no money, no food, no breaks, no gambling, no choice, and there was no freedom in the navy. Jack hated being caged; being trapped with nowhere to go, nowhere to explore. 

When the pirate ship Evangeline attacked, Jack wasted no time. He grabbed a sword from the scabbered of a dead officer and ran into the fray, stabbing anyone he saw, regardless of who they served under. When he saw the other cabin boy, a quite fellow named Cutler Beckett, he made haste and tossed the sword at him. " Fight! Kill the commanders; this is MUTINY!!!!!!!!" Jack yelled, stooping to retrieve a flintlock pistol laying on the deck. He was pleasantly surprised when Cutler picked up the sword and ran after him. 

The battle was harsh and bloody, but by sticking together Jack and Cutler survived the fray. The pirates had won, and having killed the rest of the crew they turned to the two twelve-year-olds. " Wait! Don't kill us, we're on your side! We had a mutiny!" Cutler exclamed, throwing his hands over his head. "True that!" Jack laughed, a sound so maniac that the pirate crew flinched and looked rather terrified. And rightfully so- the laugh of a Sparrow was indeed the most powerful and terrifyingly mischievous sound ever heard. 

An old pirate walked toward the boys, and the crew parted for him. " I am the Captain. " he said, " if you show us were your treasure is, we will allow you onto our crew. Consider it ... a test if loyalty." 

And so Jack and Cutler loyally showed the old captain to the most valuable things abort the boat, and soon they found themselves aboard the deck of the Evangeline, watching the Florence sink into the Carribean Sea, and with it, their last hope for a normal life.


	2. Like a [ zombie] monkey

Cutler stared up at the crow's nest from the deck of the Evangeline. Ever since he and Jack had mutinied from the Florence, they had been busy rushing around helping the rest of the crew hold the ship together. For Cutler, that meant cleaning and taking inventory of the ship's supplies. But for Jack... that meant climbing about the forest of ropes high above the ship. 

"What's your favorite place on the ship?" Jack asked the other boy from his hammock. It was night, and everyone was curled up and sleeping. Except Jack. Jack didn't sleep. " Um... I think I like galley. What's yours?" Cutler could barely make out a grin from Jack's hammock. " I like the crow's nest." " What's it like? Being up there? Is it like flying?" Jack laughed, swinging off of his hammock and barely avoiding stepping on a rat. " Why should I have to make you imagine it? Come along now. " 

Cutler peeked over the edge of the crow's nest and hastily pulled back. " I told you not to look down!" Jack snorted, clearly amused by the expression on his friend's face. " I'm not scared!" Cutler objected. " How can you even tell all these ropes apart??" Jack smiled into the night sky and arched a brow. " Well, it's a lot like star hopping. You know what star hopping is. It's like that, but with rope instead of stars." 

And that is how Cutler Beckett, mutineer, learned the basics of sailing according to a pirate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was in Cutler's POV. Please comment! Sorry the chapter is so short!


	3. Named

The crew if the Evangeline had just sunk a Spanish galleon. As a celebration, Captain Redhold had declared that they set sail for Tortuga for drink and pleasure. Jack and Cutler were banned from "pleasure", being only 12. 

At the pub, when everyone was thoroughly drunk, Captain Redhold called Cutler forward. " Ye survfed bravely innnn da bootle. Fur dis griot sorface yees 'ave ear'ned yer PIARATICAL NAMIOS. Cootler, yet name ish now CUTLER NOHEART. Call urp ye friend,eh??????" The [drunk] crew cheered. " Jack! Get your bloody ass up here!" Cutler Noheart yelped. Jack sauntered over. "AND YE BE NOUN ASH JACK SPARROW! Welcome aboard the Evangeline; were we once called yeh guests weh noo call yah brooters." 

Jack hooted and grinned. " Hear that, Cuttle? We're officially, undeniably, irriversably pirates now!" Cutler returned the smile. I am a pirate now, wouldn't Dad be so proud? Finally picking up the family business, upholding the Teague family heritage. Yaaaaaaay. Jack thought. Always wanted to be like good ol' dad.

The rest of the night was spent drinking, partying, and gambling until the sun shone over the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People are talking funny because they are drunk. Please comment!


	4. I won't say that I'm in love with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know that is the title of a Disney song. Things are getting a bit more exiting! Especially when Cutler can't seem to look away from a certain Jack Sparrow...

Cutler couldn't help it- he stared at Jack Sparrow from across the deck. The crew was about to go into battle against a Spanish treasure galleon, and Cutler felt almost worried. But not for himself- Cutler was worried for Jack. Obviously they had both been in battle before, and on numerous occasions, but this time Cutler couldn't help it- he glanced at Jack again, only to accidently meet his eyes. Cutler yanked his haze away. 

Jack caught Cutler staring. It was preposterous- Cutler had a very low tolerance for emotion. Maybe he was just a.little unsettled, he was nauseas last night, maybe he's sick? Jack thought. There was another reason why Cutler could be staring at him, Jack knew, but the possibility of THAT was...low. \-------------- Cutler could not deny it - he had a ship sized crush on Jack. "What're you starin', laddie?" Asked Joe, the ship's quartermaster.," get on with yer wor- Oh. Oh! OH!" the pirate exclaimed in realization. " He's a good catch, mate. An' don't worry yer pretty lil' head, the only rule o' romancin' onboard this here Evangeline ista get on with it elsewhere then the crew's quarters." Cutler blushed deep red. Jack was lounging. Not napping. Lounging. His hand was draped over his face and his legs were swinging over the side of the crow's nest. It was more of a crow *platform*, really, but it served it's purpose. Jack glanced over the side, down to the deck, and saw Cutler talking to Joe. Huh. Cutler and Joe looked up and Jack pulled back in a hurry. No, not ahurry, he corrected himself, he was simply making great haste. Not staring at his love interest. Nope... \----------- Cutler stared at the wall. He was going to do it. It was official. He had made up his mind, there was no going back now. " Hey Jack." Cutler said, turning over in his hammock, " You awake? Jack...?" Cutler peered through the gloom. Jack was not on his hammock. That left two places. The rigging or the... well, also the rigging. Cutler mumbled words of encouragement to himself. Be stumbled through the dark, occasionally catching his foot on a lose board, until he rested his hands on the mast. Hesitantly, he began to climb. Jack perched on top of the main mast. He was not only perfectly balanced, a seemingly impossible feat within itself, but he was humming and examining a map he had snatched from the Captain's Quarters. He heard s grunt and tore himself away. " Cutler, mate, that you?" Jack questioned. " Hurglurmphurp." Cutler muttered. He had no idea how Jack swung around all day. Jack, being such a considerate pirate, dropped down to where Cutler was. " This map went missing in its own accord. It walked away all on its own. I had *nothing* to do with it. Savvy?" Jack said playfully. " That's not what I wanted to talk to you about." Cutler mumbled, looking at his feet. Jack's heart skipped a beat. What did Cutler want to talk about? Was he Okay? "What's wrong?" Jack said, careful to keep his voice even. His eyes burned with potential outrage. "Nothing's wrong!" Cutler assured him quickly, his eyes widening. " I have something else on my mind." He whispered quietly. Cutler was nervous, but there was no going back. He twisted his hands together, looking anywhere but Jack, before suddenly spitting out... " Nice weather we're having tonight." Cutler mentally slapped himself. He was such an idiot... Jack adjusted himself so that he and Cutler were facing and grabbed Cutler's hands." Spill. Tell me what's on your mind or I *will* have to tie you to the mast." " IMAYORMAYNOTHAVEANEENSY-" Cutler was promptly cut off by Jack's lips crashing down on his. Cutler was vaguely aware of being pressed against the main mast, and he grabbed Jack's collar for support. When Cutler was eventually forced to come up for air, he noticed that Jack was giving him a rather mischievous look. "You know... you never technically said what was on your mind..." " Bloody hell." Cutler murmured, burying his face into Jack's neck. Jack smirked, then resumed his map reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice long chapter filled with feelings to make up for not posting! Notice: Jack and Cutler are both 13 at the beginning of this chapter and 15 by the end of it. POV switched every paragraph. Please comment!


	5. Remember what happened to Elsa's parents?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luck is not to be relied on.

Jack was rich. We'll, not entirely in *money*, though there was a decent amount of that, but mostly because he was just really. Damn. Lucky. He was a pirate! He was free as a bird! HE HAD ACCESS TO A NEARLY LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF RUM AND A HIGH ALCOHOL TOLERANCE! He had a boyfriend who didn't judge him ( in front of his face)! Yup, Jack Sparrow was the luckiest pirate alive. But luck has a way of disappearing when you need it most...

A storm raged. The ship creaked and groaned, sails and ropes whipping in the fierce wind. Rain pelted down with a fiery passion, and lightning lit up the sky and struck the monsterus waves. The Captain stood at the ship's wheel, shouting orders barely heard over the constant roar of noise. Cutler was securing barrels on the wet, slippery deck. He glanced upward; Jack was shortening the sails along with a handful of other crew members. The boat lurched and Cutler were banned from the morning and Cutler stumbled, almost tipping over the side of the boat- and then he was being steadied, Jack having grabbed his hand and pulling him back to safety. 

The night roared on like this, and the crew had to take shifts. For three hours, Cutler would labor away while being pelted by rain and fearing for his life, and then for the next three hours he would slump down into his boyfriend's hammock with him and try to sleep. At about three in the morning, everyone was tired, but the storm raged on. Cutler and Jack were working to secure things, tighten ropes, and attempt to use buckets to keep excess water out of the Evangeline. 

Cutler felt dizzy. He was cold, and tired, and wet, and his nose was runny. He leaned over, a bout to sneeze, when a wave like a mountain crashed down. Cutler was flung overboard, along with several others, and Jack screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to post, life happened, I'll try to post at least once a week from now on. :)
> 
>  
> 
> CLIFFHANGER! BWAHAHAHA! >:)


	6. Drown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cutler is drowning  
> Jack is swimming  
> The Evangeline is sinking

The water was calm, when you were under it instead of trying to survive on top of the rolling mountains called waves. Cutler felt tired, and heavy, and tranquil, being slowly dragged to the ocean floor. He gave a halfhearted attempt at swimming upwards, but he was too heavy. His clothes were waterlogged and a small cannonball had attached itself to his foot via rope. Cutler didn't care about the world above; he didn't care about his burning lungs. He was really, inexplainably *done*, and when he tried to act sentient all he could think of was Jack. Jack Sparrow, who could and had fought off three armed people. Jack Sparrow, who let Cutler sleep in his hammock with him when it was cold. Jack Sparrow, who could tie knots and swing from ropes, sail and read maps, climb and run, and who could kiss Cutler Noheart without fear of being stabbed with a fork, for that was the kind of reputation Cutler had accidently built up around himself. Cutler closed his eyes and sank. 

Jack shrugged off his heavy jacket and jumped onto the railing. Standing shakily, he glanced around looking for the place where Cutler had sank underneath the water. Bingo. Jack aligned himself with the location he had targeted and jumped, diving into the water. He swam down, searching. Until he found bubbles.

A hand latched around Cutler's wrist and he opened his eyes. Jack stared at him, visibly relieved that Cutler wasn't dead. Then, to Cutler's surprise, Jack kissed him, sharing his air. Then Jack then wrapped his arms under the other boy's armpits and swam. Tried too, anyway. Cutler watched in a daze as Jack let go and assessed the situation. Swimming down a bit, Jack tugged at the rope until it was loose enough to untie. The cannonball sank away, and Cutler was free. Cutler swam up frantically, without the excess weight and with some air that probably didn't really exist anymore. Cutler reached the surface and took deep breaths of air. A splintering sound came from behind him, and Cutler whipped around, just in time to see the Evangeline split in half and sink. "Did you see tha-" Then Cutler realised. Jack was still underwater.

Jack had watched as Cutler swam upward. Personally, he was blacking out. The world was spinning, and Jack was on fire. He looked upward, trying desperately to kick his legs and move, but. It. Didn't. Work. So Jack watched as his love dove down toward him, reaching, and he tried to reach back, straining. Blackness drifted into view, and Jack had empty lungs. The last thing Jack saw was Cutler's outstretched hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN ( OR DIFFRENT HOLIDAY ) TO ALL YOU HUMAN-LIKE ENTITIES!!!!


	7. Upriver

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why hadn't Cutler checked to make sure Jack wasn't dying?! Why was he so self-absorbed?! He was called Noheart for a reason, sure, but Cutler felt guilty as he had dove under and pulled Jack upward. Up, up, up, float, find something to use like a raft or a rope, that's what Jack would do, Cutler reasoned with himself. 

After following his self-inflicted mental instructions, Cutler and Jack's slumped-over form were slitting on a large piece of what was one the Evangeline's hull. Cutler patted Jack down, trying to be practical and see if Jack had stolen food in his pockets, but only found a sopping wet map. Grumbling, Cutler uncrumpled it and looked it over. The closest land that had the term "doctor" near it was a place mysteriously called Upriver. It was a Witch Doctor, but it would have to do. Cutler checked Jack's pulse and grimaced. He grabbed another piece of wreckage, probably the mast at some point, and used it as an oar. 

Upriver, as it turned out, was a creepy witch hut in the middle of a swamp that was, well, upriver. Pirates really were quite bad at naming things. Cutler propped up Jack and knocked on the door. " Enter." A strangely accented voice called. Cutler did as he was told 

" Are you the Witch Doctor?" Cutler called out hopefully. The voice, coming from the backroom, cackled gleefully. " Close, dearie. I'm only what many would call a witch." A woman came into view. She wore a raggedy brown dress and had messy hair, almost dreadlocks. " I am Tia Dalma. What is it that you seek?" " Can you help him?" Cutler asked, gesturing at Jack, who hung limp over Cutler's shoulder. Tia Dalma smiled. " For a fair price." Cutler paused. He didn't have anything of value. " Not like money," Tie Dalma said, her grin plastered across her face. Cutler jumped. Had she read his mind? " A fair price would be... a loved memory. Just one." Tia Dalma said after a moment, and Cutler smiled, realizing that she was going easy on him. " Done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and I'll stop doing so many cliffhangers. >:D


	8. Forever in my heart, but nevermore in my mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ricky the Turtle."

Tia Dalma had Cutler sit outside while she did her magic. She promised he could give her a memory later. Honor System, as it were. As Tia Dalma did her thing, Cutler considered a memory to give up. Nothing of Jack, Jack was impossible to forget. Not his old name, he was still quite atratched to it, and names had power anyways. His mom's face? Nah... she had been a good person. His Dad, on the other hand... Tia Dalma would be doing him a favor if he could forget the cold, wet nights spent bandaging his hands, arms, and legs.

" He will live!" Declared Tia Dalma triumphantly as she emerged from the back room. Cutler tried to push last her, but she wouldn't move. Tia Dalma gave him a grave look. " You are defined only by youself. Do not let the actions of your father influence the actions done now." Cutler blinked at her. " I have morals. I will not steal the memories of a childhood, even if they are being given. Choose a diffrent memory, maybe of an old pet?" " Um. Sure," Cutler said, blinking," Ricky the Turtle." Tia Dalma smiled, and held iut her hand.  
As soon as Cutler shook it, he felt dizzy. His mind was burning like a fireplace. He was... huh? The burning subsided, leaving Cutler instead with an intense feeling that he had forgotten something.  
Floorboards creaked. " 'Ello! Anyone hom - ohhhhh, shiny!" Jack's voice drifted into the room. Cutler's eyes widened and Tia Dalma could not stop him from plowing through her and into the back room. Tia Dalma followed quickly behind, worrying about all the things Jack was likely tucking into his pockets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapters are so short! I'm not good at making long chapters. Please comment! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is part of a bigger work, so look out for new chapters. Please comment, they make my day!


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